Tampons are well known in the art. Nowadays, tampons typically have excellent absorbency as they are usually made from a combination of superabsorbent polymer particles and fluff (i.e. fibrous material such as cellulosic fiber, cotton fiber, linen fiber, polymeric fiber, or a combination thereof) by well known processes. Methods for blending the superabsorbent polymer particles and the fluff, such as the wet-laid process or the air-laid process, to make a composite useful in the manufacture of tampons are well known, and are discussed in European Published Patent Application No. 0 437 816 A1 to Kim and Nielsen, assignors to Hoechest Celanese Corporation, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,977 to Herman and Kruse. Of course, tampons do not have to be extremely absorbent, and thus can be manufactured of fluff, absent any superabsorbent polymer particles.
Additionally, it is known to include some kind of medicament with a tampon for delivery of the medicament after the tampon is inserted into the vaginal canal. Such tampons are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,326 to Kubicki and Rink, assignors to VP-Schickedanz, which shows a fibrous tampon body surrounded by a hardened collagen foam, where the foam is impregnated with the medicament to be released. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,596 to Morton Rubinstein, assignor to Herbert Rubinstein, shows a tampon body, having disposed within it, a rupturable container holding a liquid medicament, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,493 to Baier and Trokhan, assignors to The Proctor & Gamble Company, shows a tampon body, having disposed about it, a medicament-containing hydrophobic overwrap.
Also, of background interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,410 to Chvapil, assignor to Medi-Coll, Inc. which shows an annular contraceptive device that is made for insertion in the vaginal canal proximate the cervix and that is made from collagen and cellulosic fiber, where the collagen is impregnated with a spermicide.
The disclosures of all patents and published patent applications mentioned in this specification are incorporated by reference.
Nevertheless, it is still desirable to have a simpler tampon containing a liquid medicament, such as a hemostatic agent solution, for release of the liquid into the vaginal canal.